Texas Tech Legend Gabe Rivera Dies at 57

Gabe Rivera passed on Monday night after struggling in the hospital since Friday with a perforated bowel. "Gabriel went home to the Lord at 9:25," his wife, Nancy Rivera, wrote in a text to KENS5 in San Antonio where Rivera lived.

Rivera, AKA Señor Sack (a nickname he got after terrifying quarterbacks as a Red Raider), played in the early 1980s and was a consensus All-American his senior season, leading the team in tackles from his defensive tackle position, which is a rarity.

He was named the Southwest Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 1983.

TexasTech.com

For his dominance as a Red Raider, Rivera was inducted into the Texas Tech Ring of Honor in 2014. He also garnered College Football Hall of Fame induction in 2012 and made the SWC all-decade team for the 1980s.

After leaving Texas Tech, Rivera was selected in the first round of the NFL Draft in 1983 as the 21st overall pick. He was selected over future Hall of Famers Dan Marino, Richard Dent and Darrell Green. However, Rivera wouldn't get to enjoy his own NFL career. He was involved in a career-ending car accident during his rookie year that left him paraplegic at age 22.

Rivera will be remembered as one of the greatest Red Raiders of all-time.